Andhra Pradesh junior doctors strike over stipend demands

Junior doctors in Andhra Pradesh have intensified their strike, boycotting emergency services across 18 government hospitals and medical colleges. The dispute centers on proposed stipend increases for interns and postgraduate residents.

The state government has proposed a 5% hike for interns for the current academic year and a 3% annual increase for those in postgraduate and super-specialty courses, citing tight financial constraints. The government noted that previous 15% hikes were excessive compared to neighboring states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (APJUDA) has rejected these figures, arguing that the proposed increments constitute a pay cut when measured against the state's approximately 10% inflation rate. The association is demanding a 20% base fitment correction for 2026, followed by an annual revision formula tied to Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation plus 3% real growth. APJUDA emphasized that their demands represent only 0.6% of the state’s healthcare budget for 2026–27.